New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-08-20
tsr TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrnUsE.l

EVIDENCE OBTAINED BY THE CITIZENS AS TO THE
ELECTRIC SUBWAY DISAPPEARANCE OF A
WITNESS.
| lsr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrnUsEl
CHICAGO, Aug. 19.-ADnouncement this morning
that Henry Sheridan 10 mysteriously missing, IS be-
evsd to be the first OF series of ncid ents leading
| q Wholesale prosecution OF bribe taking members of
the Chicago Board of Aldermen. Sheridan the
private secretary and confidential man Of Dwight X.
Thpp ex general manager of the Chicago Sectional
| Underground Electric Company, which
secured at practically expense O virtual monopoly
Of the underground wire conduit rights in all the
streets OF this city, franchise enormously valuable
snd now vested IN still greater monopoly, the So
| called Gas Trust The Herald" says, Several
months ago the Citizens Association employed
several lawyers aud detectives search for evidence
| against the members of the Council who have
long used their official positions tor private profit.
The task for these agents was no casv one Unlike
the county ring. the city thieves had left behind
them records. They had no fraudulent contracts,
| had had no dealings with hungry, but timorOus
| merchants, who were eager to profit by rascally
| prices and atterward equally eager to mako terms
| with the prosecution when panc-strcken. The city
ring a small one. Its thieving transactions were
carried on with the utmost secrecy the city
itself robbed, exoopt indirectly, valuable fran
ohises voted away through corrupt influences.
DisoodragIng as the outlook wss desperate as was
| the hope that iniormer would be found, the
Citizens Association continued Its efforts. Success
at last sppears bo certain and the disappearance of
| Henry Sheridan begins tho Developments which viii
doubtless result IN u crusade against the municipal
corruptionists satisfactory 10 the people as the
outcome OF the warfare upon the county ring.
Safe under lock and key In the wants OF the Citizens
Association Is large mass of evidence against
| Aldermen brbe-tskers Some Of this evidence Is
documentary, IN the nature of verbal statements
reduced to writing aud att-sted by affidavit. All OF
this secured with the knowledge and assistance
of States Attorney Grnnell. few days before
| aavinp torh In VIZ
held conference with committee from the Citizens
Assoc ation at which it agreed that the evidence
| nov IN hand aud such as may henceorh be secured
should be submitted To the September Grand Jury Ia
the hope OF securing The indictment of at least eight
or ten members, eI-members OF the City Council.
II is understood that Transcript OF the evidence s
in the vaults of tho law firm of Stiles Lewis,
| whero 1t IS being sfted and arranged. 1t Is also
understood that General Stiles has been retained by
the Citizens Association to aid IN the new proseou-
iion.
One OF the first witnesses be called before the
! Grand Jury is Henry Sheridan who disappeared on
| Wednesday noon from his home, bat who, 1t is be-
| eyed, can b. produced 10y tho State when he shall
| by wanted as Mic Sheridan was produced and
Butcher Bippcr. Sheridln's story will relate TO the
| IN inner in which passage through the Council was
secured OF the second ordinance granting franchise
10 the Chicago Sectional Under ground Electric COM
| pany Oi that concern Lawyer ID wight X. rrpp was
| vic. president and general executive manager
Henry sheridan his private secretary ana cOhn-
| dental man. SLeri Ian was inrusted with many
secret missions, aud knew almost as much As his em
poyer of tho deals and schemes By which the concern
secured a virtual monopoly OF the underground con-
duit ghts IN the streets OF Chicago year ago last
| December imp succeeded IN getting Though the
Council the second ordinance for his company grant
| lug wider powers than thOss given Oy the hrst
| ordinance, passed in July, 1882. The Underground
| G cjn, am aiterward sold - the Arc Light ana
| Power Company, then 10 the Consumers Gas Com-
pany ana is now by the Gas Trust. about June
riDp having prohted by the underground deal to the
| t.hu
| Spria yheld schsmo tor seeing In behalf OF ihe
Legislators Scully, the alien owner OF 6oOoO acres OF
| land in Logan County this State. SHOOK The dust OF
Chicago his feet and hied him to London, where
be is said to be euceayoring to float among Engsh
| capitalists gigantic land aud mining speculation In
Tripp had been Sheridans patron and friend.
hen rpp lett Sheridan lost his job An impovident
| ir.hman with family TO support, his wants soon
| became pressing For time he borrowed from GER
| tain Aldermen. Others more brave r.fus ID to lend
money to him A month or 40 ago he was taken INTO
the Office OF lawyer In the Major Block as stenog
| rapher. This lawyer appears TO have had sn In
macy with Trip and also to he III the employ OF the
| Citizens Association. Two weeks ago. 1t is said,
| Iripp csbed r+OO to his former private secretary
through the lawyer probably for the purpose oi keep
ing the .ecretarys mouth closed. Sheridan 10 SAID Ia
detective slang to he a wolf tor money, constantly
| di.poscd TO MAKE trouble for all who had trusted
| him. INSCRIPTIONS and uugrateiu, somewhat sd
dicted drink communicative under les influence
and At the same time living In great terror OF tho
States Attorney and Joliet, II 10 easy TO see how his
story OF the underground deal was secured and hled
|
before Mr. ,;rnnes departure for the East Sheridan
sent him word that he willing to go upon the
stand aud tell all he knew in case immunity from
| punishment were promised hun
| Whether Sheridans sudden disappearance means
that the STATE is taking OF him or that he has
concluded to join his friend Trip 10 Eng and remains
| to be HIS story as reported TO the CitiLehs
Association and Mr. Grinne describes the disburse-
ment of about 300 600 OF the stock OF the Electrical
| Underground Company TO members oil the City
| Council and to few outside persons possessing
| influence wth members. The States Attorney and
the Citizens Association also 6aid to be In posses
| sion of evidence ui bribery by ~hioh the North
Chicago Railway, under Z. I. Yerkes and bis Phlla.
phia backer, secured 80 many valuable rights ana
| frsnchiscs"
gardel as not little singular that just at this inter
esting ecooh IN otiicisl history so many promi-
nent persons VINO must Ger tanly have cognizance OF
| the TRANSACTIONS mentioned have taken leave OF
| absence, and that some of them propose 10 remain
away, probably, until the Limitation. with which any
inyes CATION only extend, erplres some nave
gone aud more are preparing 10 CO. IL 10 not 10
neg hbOr Canada this time. but to distant Europe or
aps around tho world Attention is called TO tho
popular tact that w. j. McGarlgIe, the missing COZ
victed boodler at ono time secretary OF the
Electric Underground Company. There 10 no douot
that Mr. Tripp went to Europe mainly neoauso no
became Impressed with the way In which the Nc
GariQle and other Doodle cases were being prose
cutsd and know that Sheridan NIGH sguea ut any
time on him ana the Aldermen he IS accused OF
having bribed 1t Is known that II 10 Iripp nten,
ton TO remain on the other side OF the water untl
such time IA the statute of limitations permits him
TO return. Besides sheridan, II Is stated that man
named Fuller whom | hpp seems to have tricked out
OF stock 10 also ready to 90 on the stsno ana give
evidence IN tho case, and 10 is stated that II was
through him information regarding tins matter
be osrne public rripp had no go-betwrnu lie deat
directly with tho Aldermen, put how much nc gave
each one he and they only know one tmng Is GER
tain-Aidermen generally supposed to be above sus-
piciOn undoubtedly Implicated and were Dripou